


holding out hope

by azhawritesreylo



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Character Death Fix, F/M, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Happy Ending, Not Canon Compliant, Post-Canon, Post-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Redeemed Ben Solo, Rey Needs A Hug, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:40:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25656058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/azhawritesreylo/pseuds/azhawritesreylo
Summary: Their happy ever after.(My contribution for #ReuniteBenAndRey)
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	holding out hope

**Author's Note:**

> # "I didn't have it in myself to go with grace  
>  And so the battleships will sink beneath the waves."
> 
> # 

She watched the echo of a now-buried past fade behind her.

The light of the setting suns enveloped her as she and BB-8 made their way back to the Falcon. Finally, there was once again peace to the galaxy. The price was high, and she paid it herself. Its weight was heavy on her heart, a burden all heroes must carry. But nevertheless, she carried it with resilience. She had never faced a greater suffering than this—and she hoped she would never have to again—but her former master was right.

_No one’s ever really gone._

BB-8 beeped at her and she stopped in her tracks. The droid said it sensed something; a moving lifeform coming from the east.

“Probably just Tusken Raiders, Bee-bee,” she says. “Nothing to worry about.”

But the droid was insistent. It was heading towards them.

Rey looked out in that vague direction, trying to see over the cloud of sands starting to billow around them. She shielded her eyes from it, suddenly missing the mask she made herself for the scavenging trips she used to do on Jakku. Thinking about that now felt surreal. It seemed like a lifetime ago already.

The harsh winds stopped and finally she could see clearly. Nothing was there.

“See,” she tells BB-8. “I told you. Nothing—” she pauses abruptly, sensing something now as well. 

She couldn’t explain the feeling, but it bothered her how strong it was—this awakening. Imagine a dark room, standing still in the middle of it, without knowing whether you’re moving towards something or from it. And then comes the light.

It was just a tiny flicker at first, until it starts to burn.

Rey felt it deep in her core. It was so familiar too. That alone shook her entire being and as soon as she realized what it was, fear gripped her. She didn’t want to hope for something that could break her heart over again. She was still mourning. Her loss was still fresh. And yet she couldn’t help herself. She had never felt this way since he came for her in Exegol. It hadn’t been that long ago, but it was long enough to miss him so much it hurt. Tears started welling up in her eyes.

Not from the sand, no. It was from the absolute certainty that this was not a dream. She could sense that tingling sensation crawl up her spine. She was sure he was here. She could feel him in her bones. Rey looked up, thinking she’d finally see his ghost.

Instead she sees a figure in the distance.

It was small at first, like the hope brewing in her gut. This was better than reality, she believes. This was what she always thought would happen when you’ve done something right. It was a dream peeking through a thin veil and it didn’t matter to her if he was real. She could feel him. She could see him.

“Just give me enough time,” she pleads quietly. To what, she didn’t exactly know. Rey could only hope to have enough time with this apparition; enough to tell him what she wanted to say.

As he came closer, she realized that there’s a smile on her face now. She hadn’t mustered sufficient strength to conjure one in the last few days, even as she faced her friends victorious. Her heart thumped a funny pattern too. She was nervous. Now that he was within reach, she didn’t know what she could say to make up for their lost time. What would be enough? Which words are worth it to say?

But then he reaches her. And everything seemed to be in place. She recalled the times they’ve faced each other like this, always on opposite sides, and how they’ve stood together in the end. Rey watched the expression on his face change from confusion to relief. She looked at him carefully, trying to place him with the young man that was in awe of her power that night in the snowy forest, but that wasn’t him. Or he was, but not any longer.

This is the son of Han and Leia. This is the boy they saved.

“Is it you?”

The words leave her lips shaking in their wake. Ben Solo hasn’t changed. Even in this post-deathlike state, he smiled the same. And he was panting too, which didn’t make sense to Rey. Until…

“I promised I’d come back for you.”

She lets out a sob before running to his arms. She had grasped for what could be closest to reality because after her disappointment in Exegol, she didn’t want to let herself cling on to this moment—a moment that could never come.

And yet it has.

He has returned to her. Against all the defying odds, Ben was here with her. He held her now, strong arms gripping her to him, and she wrapped herself around him, trying to keep him here.

 _How can I make this last?_ She thought, worrying and afraid.

“I’m here,” he reassures her as if hearing her thoughts. “I’m not going anywhere. Not unless you want me to.”

Rey tightened her embrace.

“Rey.”

She couldn’t speak. She was tearing up too much.

“Rey.” He was pleading with her, but she couldn’t look at him again. “Please?”

“I was so alone,” she blurted out. “I was _so_ alone, Ben.”

“You’re not alone,” he tells her. “I promise. No matter what happens. No matter what _happened_ , you were never alone, Rey. I was right there. I’m with you. Please…look at me.”

Finally, she breaks away. Ben wipes her tears, holding her face in his hands. But tears of his own were cascading down his cheeks so she wiped them away too, seeing him close his eyes in relief.

“I missed those hands,” he whispers.

When he opened his eyes again, she could see the longing he has for her. She recognizes it as her own. How many times had she looked at her reflection and saw the same expression on her face? Too many, she knew.

“I missed you,” she murmurs. “Ben?”

It was a silent question, but he answered quickly. Their lips crashed on each other, filled with yearning and desperation.

Yes, he missed her too.

Yes, he loved her too.

Yes, to everything she may ever want from him.

As the suns disappear on Tatooine’s surface, two lovers and a droid leave together in a light freighter known as the Millennium Falcon, and embark in a journey far, far away…

**Author's Note:**

> I was listening nonstop to 'my tears ricochet' to inspire this one. (Even though the song is about “embittered tormentor showing up at the funeral of his fallen object of obsession.”) The elements of it reminded me of TROS so much and maybe it's my song to TROS (lol). Also, someone on Twitter made an edit to this song but I can't find it anymore :( ANYWAYS, I hope you guys enjoyed this one shot. :)


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